Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-07-28
A WONDERFUL ESCAPE.
Young sanders Rescued Alive After
-Four Days imprisonment In Mine.

Charles Mason furnishes the State Reg
istes with n statement of the rescue OF
young Sanders from his Imprisonment in
a mine at Grand junction, On the morn
ing of July 81 he was taken out alive,
though somewhat exhausted from his
long fast The floor of the NINE" said
Mr. Mason, follows exactly tho undula.
tons of the surface of the ground. and
when young Sanders found escape cut of
he chose as elevated position as no
could find the water being prevented
from reaching II by sort Of dam which
was formed Of the dirt. wood and refuse
material inside the mine Work was be.
gun for his release Immediately, but tho
pump used was an old one and on Tues
day II broke down completely, For u
time the hopes of tho resculng party were
crushed, but the half crazed grief OF San
ders' father and mother, who piteously
entreated them to sage their son spurred
the party on to further action, which was
recommended Wednesday morning with
new steam pump, The work was not
allowed to lag for an instant and crowds
of rcady.helpers stood about the mouth
of the shaft eager to assist In saving life.
There were but few among them who
ever expected TO see the miner alive. but
with an absence Of absolute certainty
they toilcd day and night and at 4;i5 this
afternoon tho water was declared sutli-
ciently low to make decent. Ii was u
quiet party that went down the shaft
not daring TO hope for success--and dread
ing the sad sight which they feared lay
before them. The whole town crowded
around the entrance, foremost among
being the father and mother Of the I'm.
prisoned miner, who watched and listen
cd with hatcd breath for tho first tidings
OF hope or despair, The car deccnded,
stopped, and then came u glad shout
bearing to the ears of those above hap
piness that knew no bounds. Cheers
went up from the shaft opening above,
and the glad news spread through tho
town with tightening rapidity, for
there was not man, woman, or child,
In the town who had not made
hourly inquiries for the entombed man.
Upon reaching the bottom OF the shaft,
Sanders was found alive and well, but
overcome with joy and gratitude 10 his
rcscuers. The rush OF water had com
pressed tho air In his prison so that ho
might have breathed and lived for some
time had he been supplied with tho nee.
cssary food lie was intensely pale but
alive, well. and able to talk, in spite OF
his l % hours ontombment. II would have
been dangerous to expose him too sud
denly to the outer air, 30 he was led to
the shaft aud permitted TO breathe slowly
at first, after which he was carried above
and into the arms Of his ovcrjoycd par.
ents, who could hardly realize that their
son liycd. II was one case In thousand.
and great praise IL due the workers who
toiled so increasingly in his behalf, Had
1t not been for the elevation upon which
he secured II position before the water
reached him, he would either have drown.
ed or suilocated. When | left Grand
Junction few hours ago, he was report.
cd as doing well under the thoughtful
care of his delighted parents, and hosts
Of friends"